It is the OFF CAMPUS WEEK at the university! Me and my colleague have planned for some time to bring our students for ESR (Environmental Social Responsible) excursion in Sabah to fulfill the requirement of one particular subject. The students have already prepared physically their particular topics regarding environmental awareness in Sabah but however they are not mentally prepare for what had laid in Kudat, Sabah....for most of them....
All this happened before the casualties of our 9 heroes policemen personnels in the ambushed attacked by the Sulu gunmen invaders while defending the sovereignty of the country. The location where we reside are however far away from the Lahad Datu and Semporna (like 8 hours drive) area, but still we were so lucky that this journey went well for the students.
This excursion took place in Kota Kinabalu and mainly in Kudat from 24th till 27th of February. During that time the Malaysian policemen and military were already been placed at Lahad Datu in the progress of negotiations with the Sulu gunmen whom in trying to invade Sabah.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Lahad_Datu_standoff In just two days after our returned, the first shootout with 2 policemen down in Lahad Datu shocked the nations....
While you digesting the history of what happened in Sabah recently, let me divert to my original story here....
first day.....24thFeb2013
Our first challenged once we arrived at the Kota Kinabalu airport were to shop souvenirs at Gaya Street Market which only operate on Sundays morning. It sells a vast of souvenir goods from handicrafts and local delicacies to live animals for pets. It is said that here are more cheaper than the Filipino Market which operate everyday. That is why we have to shop for souvenirs even before seeing and know Sabah cause we arrived on Sunday.
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| Me in front of the Gaya Street Market |
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| The Gaya Street... |
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| The pets for sale in the cage. |
Our journey to Kudat took 4 hours drive. We were taken along big roads towards narrow 'kampung' roads. Seeing a lot of tar road were ruined on the side by landslide or inner pipe burst. But our bus driver is an expert driver so we were safely arrived at Tanjung Simpang Mengayau, Kudat exactly after 4 hours drive, at 5.30pm.
'Tampat Do Aman' is a place for our stay for 3 nights where we can actually experience a simple life with simple basic needs provided. A 'survival place' we called it. The place served a pleasant view with the famous Rungus Longhouse were seen built as for the rooms available. There are also a few A huts were built to accommodate more stay-in visitors.
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| the entrance with self-made signage |
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| the Rungus Longhouse built to accommodate rooms for rent |
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| inside the longhouse. |
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| inside one of the room. |
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| the 'Rhino Lodge' for open relaxing area to drink hot coffee while reading books |
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| the view of the A hut with nice landscape around them.. |
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| behind the hut.. |
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| in front the hut... |
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| inside the hut... |
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| they also provide a compost toilet...errrr... |
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| the shower barrack with open view inside while taking your bath...cool... |
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| they also have a cafeteria on the left side where in future to introduce a Rungus delicacy... on the right is the Rungus gallery. |
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| this is me with Mr Howard, the owner of the 'Tampat Do Aman'. He has stayed in Sabah for more than 12 years, married to the local girl, open up a homestay and a cafe called 'Tip Top Cafe' in Kudat. |
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| The Tip Top Cafe located by the unspoilt white sandy beach side right on the northern tip of Sabah. |
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| the front view of the cafe... |
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| with the background of the beach which sited in between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea... |
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| the cafe also providing a kayaking services. |
The unique of this place is the location at the northern tip of the Sabah where the famous called 'Tip Of The Borneo' are seen situated in between the South China Sea meets the Sulu Sea which flowing from the east.
The distance from the Tip Top Cafe are only 20 minutes walk along the beach which we took the opportunity at the following day. After a good dinner at the cafe, we walk back to the homestay like 30 minutes walking passing the quiet village with breeze ocean windy blowing accompanied us while flashing our torchlight for direction. The night after washing our self in the unique experienced we had in the shower room, we had a good 5 hours night sleep...(sometimes at night we heard some of the students keep slapping the mosquitoes away)... Tomorrow is another day... our very first excursion....
second day .... 25thFeb2013
Waking up in the next morning at 5am is to get the first queue to shower. The first group have already awake to prepare breakfast, the English breakfast of toast together with baked beans and sausages. After having the delicious breakfast, our first excursion which is to visit local primary school to give awareness to the children about the environment particularly in Sabah.
This is what our student have prepared back in the university. The task that were given were the student to prepare an interesting infoboard and other tools to help them in explaining about their particular topics to the children age 7 - 12 years old. This is a daunting things to do for the students. They don't know what to expect from the school and the respond by the children. Especially our foreign students who could not converse in Malay language. But somehow it was a huge success for our students in the end. It was a new and interesting experienced for them and even more they have a big fan by the children! Bravo!!
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| We had a blast day doing our part to help conserving the environments to the young ones at SK Bangau, Kudat, Sabah. Thank you SK Bangau and their sporting teachers and students!! |
After satisfying successful day at the school, we had our delicious lunch at the cafe before start our second excursion....Beach Cleaning. With the help of the local children, together we clean the beach by picking up trashes that were swept from the ocean to the beach. Along the line, we walk towards the much awaited Tip of The Borneo...
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| the beach with the view of the Tip of The Borneo far away behind... |
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| some surfers walking along the beach. |
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| a lot of trashes can be clearly seen along the beach.. |
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| some of the local children came to help clean the beach.. |
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| the cleaning start.... |
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| very helpful...:) |
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| this is fun!! |
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| stop for sand built. |
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| and it's a competition! |
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| Tip of Borneo! Here we come!!! |
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| some offerings you can see near the tip. |
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| this is the landmark. |
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| this is the view of the Tip of the Borneo!! Amazing!!!! |
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| A breathtaking view. |
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| you can find a hole filled with ocean water. the children go down deep to collect some shillings thrown by the tourist for the extra pocket money... |
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| another view facing back the mainland... |
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| overlooking view the South China Sea on the west side... |
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| were finally here!! |
third day.....26thFeb2013
On this day is the volunteering day....the 3rd excursion. It took one whole day to volunteer Mr Howard's effort to build up a Wildlife Centre just opposite the homestay. The challenge is the work in the jungle that some...actually most of the student couldn't stand the adventure offered by the jungle. They somehow tried even though it is not compulsory if they couldn't volunteer, but unfortunately few of them got stung by the small bees that cut short the efforts.
Some of them giving up the volunteering while some requesting to work just outside the jungle. So left 2 groups out of 5 groups to do the jobs.
Owh...forgot to mentioned, the 2nd breakfast group had prepared a very much delicious spaghetti bolognaise for breakfast that morning even without any meat involved. Kudos to the creative chefs!
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| working hard to saw the peace of wood.. |
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| In the jungle the task is to built the able-steps on the upward hill. |
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| the team is working really hard to accomplished more than 50 steps for one day... |
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| the team just outside the jungle, lead by me... |
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| we were only helped to makeover the main steps, not the hut behind...hehehe.. |
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| we made it!! |
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| Later that night we had a big feast as this will be our last night in Kudat. |
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| and I've tried the Rungus local delicacy named 'Kinava', made of raw tuna fish self cooked by fresh lime and chillies and onions. And it was delicious!! |
fourth and final day....27thFeb2013
Finally the day came. We had packed our things and we find out that we only have one last clothes to changed after the last excursion which will be held on our way back to the Kota Kinabalu. The bus were punctual arrived at 7am after the last breakfast group prepared us a sandwich to be consume in the bus later.
After saying goodbye to Mr Howard and the homestay staffs and the cafe team, we head down to KK in hoping to reach Tamparuli town which up north of KK for 2 hours drive. Here in Tamparuli there is a river named Kiulu river whereby we will be doing white water rafting level 1 and 2. And that is our last excursion. Cool!!
And this will be my first attempt of water rafting. After experienced it, I've determined to include this activity in my adventure list and to try to the next level soon....can't wait!
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| Me with one of the instructor with Kiulu river as the backgroud. |
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| posed in full gear... |
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| the students are gearing themselves with full attire and equipment, the paddle. |
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| one of the rafter helped the student wear the helmet the right way. |
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| given briefing first by the instructor. here is for the English version. |
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| and this group is for the Malay version... |
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| the instructor demonstrate how to save a member out of the water. above picture shown the incorrect way. mind that... |
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| get ready... |
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| and set.... |
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| GO! Unfortunately we were not allowed to bring camera. But somehow I did but kept in the water proof bag. So I could only took pictures while stopping at the check points, but not during journey on the water. |
The whole rafting trip was fun. We had 5 groups in 5 rafter accompanied each with the professional rafter for safety. Only one group wanted to make this rafting an extreme one, meaning there will be several times capsized during flowing through the rapid water. And I am in one of that group. And I did not regret it.
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| we're stop at the first check point for swim and body drifting for those who dare... |
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| this is our second and last checkpoint, stopping to feed some local fish (Tekali and Tengas fish) by hand feeding, I mean really deep inside feeding... |
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| one of the students scream shockingly while feeding the fish experienced the fish sucking several of her fingers!! yikes! |
The water rafting took almost 3 hours journey and it was a worthwhile one. After all the rowing and swimming, we finally reach the last stop. We all took bath and changed into dry clothes before having lunch prepared by the rafter centre. By the time finished, we only had a few hours left for shopping in KK before our flight back to KL at 9.30pm.
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| Once reached KK after 2 hours trip from Tamparuli, we had our last shopping at the well-known Filipino market for souvenirs. |
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| Next to it is the Central Market selling mainly fish, fruits and vegetables. Here in the picture shows the dried fish market selling salted dried fish and other seafood as well. |
After 4 days in Sabah has turn us into dreadful life of not enough rest and sleep. But the memory and much worth experienced gained while were there is not something you can buy anywhere. You can only have it if you tried and take risk at least once in your lifetime. And my students were so thankful with this experienced which they haven't thought of doing it in their life.
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| I have developed interest in water rafting adventure and I thankful to my extreme rafter, Idris, for showing me what it is like to enjoy while taking risk in rafting. I am sure to find time somewhere in my life to challenged myself to the next level...Sharmila, my colleague, I thank you for introduced me this exciting activity. :) |
2 days after our returned to Kuala Lumpur, the news of the two fallen policemen personnel in Lahad Datu, Sabah came, and the following day with another 6 policemen personnel down after ambushed by the Sulu gunmen. It is so sad for this to happened to our peaceful land of Sabah after knowing people there and stayed there almost a week. Our prayer for Sabah especially people in Lahad Datu and Semporna to bring back the peaceful life and safety of our heroes while taking risk for the sake of Malaysian life. We honoured the fallen and pray for the well being of the victims' families.
